I’m glad we discovered this before he turned 30…
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Now watch him take one mark and kick 0.2 next week.
Don’t think that is fair .
Tom played his heart out yesterday, was dominate in the ruck and ran all over the ground. He would hit the ball down the throat of our mid-fielders but they would fumble, drop it, never get it clear.
Smack was good also; loved how he got into Kruzers face at every chance. Reckon others need to follow his aggression.
How can this be the same team that beat Adelaide and Port though?
Something is very very wrong.
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Oh how I wish (guess we are all wishing)
SMack on average is barely AFL level, but yesterday, in a poor team playing a poor team he played with determination and strangely played better than Joe. FCS he racked up 11 score involvements ! Well done. He is in for the next 4+ weeks so he will get a good go at it and against much better opposition.
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I agree with this.
I thought the ruck battle was intriguing. Kreuzer was obviously better around the ground, however, Belly dominated the total hitouts and I believe won the hitouts to advantage as well. Hard to blame him for our midfielders stinking it up. In one of the quarters, they won 8 consecutive centre clearances (resulting in three quick goals), despite the fact that Belly was winning the hitouts. We simply have no mids capable of reading the play. Cripps destroyed Myers.
Re: Smack. Very solid game. Smack had a crack and definitely deserves to retain his place in the side. Enjoyed his leading patterns at times and also contested marking and mongrel. Stays in.
NB: Belly is in the twilight of his career, so I also agree with an earlier suggestion that we need to start exposing Draper to some game time. Forget Looney. He is cooked.
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Should have kicked 5
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Should’ve had 2 absolute sitters gifted to him, one from a free kick, another from the 50 that wasn’t paid in the last.
Seems to mark it ok without all the diving forward and getting blocked by defenders.
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Competed hard and played well. Showed plenty of spirit in a lacklustre display. Should have been given a free or two more.
Wasting a spot in the seniors, shouldn’t be playing and we should be experimenting with a smaller forward line and young players rather than a guy were are going to delist.
Has a big neck, good hands and a nice amount of aggression. Thankfully didn’t give too many dumb frees. Stays in for JD.
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Nocturnal is spot on with their post - The selectors could have been creative with selection which would have allowed a young player to debut, make one or two players more accountable and then help one or two mid-level players - All that needed to happen was to move Hooker forward which has the benefit of him getting the number one defender, instead of Mckernan getting the number two defender - This then frees up Stewart who has gone from the number three defender to the number one defender and is therefore finding life tough - In defence you should have debuted Ridley and get him to play as the third tallish defender, which then makes Hurley play on the number one or two forward - This was an astounding failure of selection, as well as showing the hypocrisy of some on BB who whinge incessantly ( and correctly ) about the failure to choose young players, but supported the inclusion of McKernan.
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I don’t see it as hypocrisy.
I want young players in the side but we also need to recognise good form and build genuine competition for spots.
No point having depth if they continually get overlooked.
The reality is we should be dropping three or four players and that way Smack can play as well as a young player or two.
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Playing Mckernan stopped a young player from getting a game - Why Mckernan and Baguley played has got me beat.
Playing underperforming players is stopping young players playing.
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As is playing people who haven’t been good enough for 10 years.
And I don’t care if he has a good game here and there, or he finds homes for abandoned kittens, or any other happy, happy moment
10 farking years!
Play a farking kid!
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Thats a different argument.
He shouldn’t be on the list if he’s not up to it.
He is on the list and he plays with heart and that needs to be rewarded or it’s no point having depth.
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Finally someone who gets it!
Like who? Draper?
I just like this bloke, I know there is lots of reasons to not want him in the team but I just really like him. At 27 I’m not under any illusions but fark me I love his hardness and he actually makes me enjoy my team more. I’m glad he is on our list and right now I’m more than happy for him to play senior football.
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